Will African Cardinals Be a Blocking Minority at the Next Conclave?

The Wanderer writes: “As of today, there are 127 cardinal electors, 92 of which were created by Francis. Given that the election of a Pope requires two thirds of the votes—which is 85 votes—simplistic logic would say that the election of a ‘Bergoglian’ is assured. But things are not so simple for numerous reasons, not the least of which is that ‘Bergoglianism’ will die with the death of Pope Bergoglio.”

Yet, “like in every other elective system of this type, a third of cardinals, or 43, constitutes the ‘blocking third’. In other words, the ‘Bergoglians’ would need more than 85 votes to have a Pope of their own, which amounts to saying that if they fail, it is the blocking third which will hold the key to determining the next Pontiff.”

Regarding the role the African prelates could have, the Argentine journalist recalls the major influence of Cardinal Robert Sarah, former Prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, since his speech to the bishops of Cameroon on April 9:

“Not only does Cardinal Sarah defend the truth of the Catholic Faith against the attacks of those who should defend it—Cardinal Fernández (hated by the whole Roman Curia) and Francis himself— but he calls on the responsibility and even the well-deserved pride of African bishops.

“And I say well-deserved, because many great doctors and defenders of the Faith were African: St. Augustine was of the Berber race; St. Athanasius was Egyptian; St. Cyprian was Maghrebian, just like St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, and so many other African saints and martyrs.”

Then he returns to his calculation of the number of African cardinals in the conclave: “There are currently 29 African cardinals, including 17 electors. Some of them are already included in the blocking third, but others are not.

“However, after this ‘yes, yes, no, no’ campaign of Cardinal Sarah, who has become the undisputed leader of African Catholics, won’t several others join them? And furthermore, won’t certain cardinals of ‘peripheral’ countries who identify with them join the Africans? If this is the case, one third would be easily and amply reached.”

But the Wanderer warns, “this third of cardinals must not worry about what the world thinks, and must be ready for all or nothing [that is to say] to block, in the proper sense of the term, any election other than that of a Catholic cardinal.

And this means not only not electing a ‘Bergoglian’, but also not electing a compromise candidate, as has been done so many times in the history of the Church. This means a long conclave.” And he warns: “Your Eminences, you hold the key to the conclave. Do not give it away!”

The African Prelates Are Already Maneuvering for the Next Synod

This analysis is also that of Il Messagero Vaticanist Franca Giansoldati, who on May 3 already sees the African prelates maneuvering “to stop the slide into relativism and the blessing of homosexual couples,” during the synod which will take place in Rome this October. She underlines the dominant role that will be played by Cardinal Sarah and Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Archbishop of Kinshasa and President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM).

Franca Giansoldati writes: “The catalyst of a vision firm in its principles—that is to say, determined to refuse the blessing of homosexual couples—was Cardinal Robert Sarah with a speech given in Cameroon which has been circulating for a few days within several African episcopal conferences, determined to stop the drift toward same-sex unions contained in the document drafted by the Vatican, Fiducia supplicans, which is still creating considerable disorientation within Catholic communities.”

And she adds: “Another important figure of the College of Cardinals—who also has a chance at the next conclave—has aligned himself with Cardinal Sarah. Fridolin Ambongo, who expressed himself during the four-day meeting of African delegates who will represent Africa at the Synod from October 2 to 29 in Rome, had sharp words:

“‘I have very attentively followed Cardinal Sarah’s speech, and I think that what he said is true. Fiducia supplicans is not firstly a cultural question; it would have been preferable to address it from the angle of theology, morality, the Bible, and the Magisterium’.

“Sarah and Ambongo agree to say that during the last Synod, the African Church defended the dignity of man and woman created by God, even if ‘its voice was ignored and scorned by those whose only obsession is to please Western lobbies’.”

And to conclude: “Cardinal Ambongo’s profile is progressing among the future papabili: he managed the African blockade of the blessings of homosexual couples.”